Hildner, 49, listed his home of record as Fairfax, Va. He was born in New Haven, Conn. He took command of 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Aug. 19, 2010.

“We are truly saddened by the loss of Brigadier General Hildner,” said Army Lt. Gen. Don Campbell Jr., III Corps and Fort Hood commanding general. “This is a tragic loss for the Army, III Corps and for our Central Texas community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his Family and friends. The command will remain focused on assisting the Family through this difficult time.”

A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Hildner began his career as an armor officer with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was reassigned in 1988 to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as the regimental training officer and subsequently commanded a ground cavalry troop.

During his company command, Hildner's troop deployed with the regiment as part of the U.S. VII Corps' attack into Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, as well as conducting the last U.S. patrol along the East-West German border before its reunification.

Returning to Fort Hood from Germany, the general served in several assignments, to include 2nd Armored Division comptroller and aide-de-camp to the 4th Infantry Division’s commanding general.

Hildner transited to the Quartermaster Corps and attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in 1997. He later served in a variety of staff positions, to include battalion executive officer of the 296th Forward Support Battalion, Supply and Services chief for I Corps Logistics at Fort Lewis, Wash., and logistician for Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense counterdrug task force.

In 2003, Hildner assumed command of the 13th Corps Support Command's Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood. During nearly three years in command, the battalion conducted two operational deployments. The first came in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat sustainment support battalion, providing general logistical support to units located around Joint Base Balad, as well as the Abu Gharib prison complex.

The battalion's second deployment came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Logistical Task Force Lone Star, providing both military and humanitarian support operations.

From July 2007 to July 2009, Hildner commanded the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, Va., training more than 20,000 soldiers annually for deployment in support of contingency operations across the globe.

In 2009, he was the Combined Arms Support Command's director of training and doctrine.

Hildner departed Fort Hood in December 2011 for Afghanistan to support the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.

“The unfortunate and untimely death of Brigadier General Hildner was a shock to our unit and Families,” said Army Col. Knowles Atchison, 13th ESC rear commander. “Both forward-deployed elements and we at home station are deeply saddened by this loss. We will all pull together through this difficult period and care for one another.”

Hildner’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, U.S. Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, Southwest Asia Medal with 2 bronze stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War of Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the Combat Action Badge and the Parachutist Badge.